Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. It is a perfect window into the cross–currents of today's world, with all its joys and its sorrows. In this remarkably insightful, wide–ranging work of reportage, Franklin Foer takes us on a surprising tour through the world of soccer, shining a spotlight on the clash of civilizations, the international economy, and just about everything in between. How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
A groundbreaking work named one of the five most influential sports books of the decade by Sports Illustrated—How Soccer Explains the World is a unique and brilliantly illuminating look at soccer, the world’s most popular sport, as a lens through which to view the pressing issues of our age, from the clash of civilizations to the global economy.
“An eccentric, fascinating exposé of a world most of us know nothing about.” -The New York Times Book Review
"An insightful, entertaining, brainiac sports road trip." -The Wall Street Journal
"Foer’s skills as a narrator are enviable. His characterization are comparable to those in Norman Mailer's journalism." -The Boston Globe